Gallatin mayor expresses concern over 'swell of apartments'

“Right now … we are adding about 30-percent of the existing units we already have in this city,” said Gallatin Mayor Paige Brown at a City Council meeting last month when it came time to vote on a resolution that would approve an amendment to the preliminary mater development plan for the Hunter Pointe development which would allow for a 216-multi-family apartment complex. “We are increasing our housing by 30-percent, and this is an opportunity to not contribute to that.”

On July 24, the Gallatin Municipal-Regional Planning Commission did not recommend approval of a resolution to approve an amendment to the plan, and on Aug. 15, the council requested additional discussion on the amendment for Hunter Pointe which includes Hunter Pointe Apartments.

After a public hearing was held, the council voted to approve the amendment on first reading, and on Sept. 19, voted to approve the second reading, 6-1, with Councilwoman Lynda Love voting against.

“I have grave concerns about this,” said Brown to the council at the Sept. 19 meeting. “I’ve heard from a lot of people on this … and I wish that you would feel differently about it than you seem to feel. I think this is a bad place and a bad change to the master development plan … it will impact that area fairly negatively with traffic.”

The property is located south of Long Hollow Pike and north of Highway 386, and the amendment will authorize a revision to the plan on two parcels and a portion of a parcel totaling 19.38 acres.

Brown later told the Gallatin News Examiner that the council would have been within its rights to deny the proposed change to the master development plan allowing for apartments to be built in the development.

"Everyone wants to build apartments in Gallatin right now,” she said, adding that she was particularly concerned about what the additional apartments will mean for traffic in that area.

She also expressed concern about the “overall swell of apartments coming in here.”
Brown said she wanted to “preserve the character we are known for.”

“As a city, we are responsible to limit where we can,” she explained.

Although growth is inevitable, Brown expressed concern about the possibility of an over-saturated market down the road. Overbuilding could eventually lead to lower rents and less maintenance on those properties, she explained.

“Right now these are nice expensive apartments, but that could decline over time,” she said.

According to the city’s website, other developments in Gallatin include:

Langley Estates, a planned residential development at 416 Coles Ferry Road, in which the owner is proposing to construct single family homes and attached dwellings.

Preston Park, a 140-unit multi-family development located east of North Martin Vineyards Way and south of Tulip Poplar Drive that will include 64 flats and 76 town-homes.

Patterson Farms, a subdivision that will contain 144 single family homes and 62 town-homes south of Highway 109 west of Clear Lake Meadows Boulevard and north of Nichols Lane.

Village at Peytona Downs, a 304-unit multi-family apartment complex west of Greenlea Boulevard, east of St. Blaise Road and north of Nashville Pike.

Residence of Gallatin, a 188-unit multi-family apartment complex located at Long Hollow Pike and Highway 109.